National Republican., 1887-08-18
To-KALoN WINE VAULTS.
Description of the Cellars of +. Pohn-
dorT ~ Co.

dorn IL Co.
The vaults now occupied by the To
Kalon Wine Company at Twenty-seventh
and X streets northwest were built fifty
eight years ago. They were first con-
structed with the view Of brewing ale there,
which proved failure financially.
In 1885 Mr.. Chris Heurich bought the
building, and has since used 1t for bottling
his beer. Mr.. Pohndorh, ,late OF California,
leased the vaults and part Of the building
in 1856 for the purpose Of dlsposing Of the
win,s and brsndies Of the To-Kslon vine
yard OF II. W. Crabb, at Oakland, Napa
Co., Cal. He commenced filling the vaults
with, the products Of this vineyard In June,
1856, and trade commenced from that date
to be brisk. The people of Washington and
vicinity realized the fact that they could get
pure and unadulterated wines and brandies,
and encouraged the enterprise beyond ex-
pectation.
Society commenced TO use the wines, and
acknowledged the factthat they could get
pure and wholesome article OF wine and
brandy better than they could OF the So
called imported varieties OF wine. Mr..
Pohndorff, who is credited as an authority
on wnes,.and who has eenchairmau of the
committee on sampling In California, was
aiSn electeu cnalrInan Vi tue couVentiou
held In this city.
He wac for a number OF years the expert
Of the wine samplers at the University Of
California, at which place Mr.. r.. e. Pohn-
dorfl, bis son, made the wine at that inst-
tuition in 1885.
The north vault is 14s feet deep by 81 feet
wide, 90 feet high, srehed on the top. A
brick and rock floor stops the dripping.
The capacity OF this vault Is 150, 600 gallons.
hS Ia n oa nj
wines ready for sottling, and half of the
vault is filled with odd packages OF superior
high class varieties OF wines. The vault is
$50 by 25 feet, by 16 feet high, ana has
capacity Of 100 600 gallons.
On the ground floor there Is room 80
by 30 feet, where the bottliug is done, also
tue Gaping and labelling. Above that is
the storeroom, where the packing is done
~ orders are shipped direct. Mr.. w. j.
Kline, the superintendent, has full control
Of the vaults, and attends to all receiving
and shipping, besides managing, keeping,
and storing OF the wines, the latter OF which
is the most important part.
The west vault Is 100 by 20 feet, by is feet
high, arched, and is used for the storage Of
empty packages. An elevator runs up In
the center Of the vault and communicates
with on alley, where the wagons leave their
| loads, which are lowered into the regions
below. Besides the lobby, as tits called,
| where there Is another elevator with large
| iron clamps, which hold and lower the i'm
mense puncheons down.
| Among the different varieties OF wines are
the Burgundy (Crabb's black Burgundy
Zipfsndel, and claret of first-class quality,
also Cabernet Sauvignon, and Tanuatt;
then two qualities OF Riesliug, a Sauterne,
| Moselle, Pinot Blanc, Frontignan
| (6ry), which has a specially
remarkable bouquet and navor. Then
among the sweet wines are the Sweet Bur,
gupdy (port), Sherry, To-Kay, Sweet Mus
catel, and Angelica. In secluded corner
are brandies from the years 1877 and 1880,
with the original stamps from the ware
house in California.
The lobby is occupied by stairway, and
also is used for the storage OF empty bot
| ties, OF which there Is an immense stock.
The vaults are we'll cared for by Mr.. +.
G. Pohndorff, son Of Mr.. Pohndorff, who
has but lately arrived from California
where he owns a beautiful vineyard In Ala
media county, and he also managed another
large vineyard. -,
Mr.. II. W. Crabb, the pr prletor OF the
To-Kalon vineyard, has about 600 acres
planted with the choicest and largest as
sortments of grapes Of any wine grower II
California. He is the pioneer In the win,
Industry in California, and his cellars hav,
capacity for LOCO, 600 gallons, aud his crol
for the season of 1856 was over IL 900 bar
rels, of which the choice portion vii
be stored at the To,K ,Kalon wine vault
to be aged, and placed on sale In tn
course Of time. The business In this cit.
has grown to such an extent that 1T require
the aid OF five men besides the two Messrs
Pohndorff. They have an agency In TIL
city OF Baltimore, which is supplied fror
Washington, and other agencies In New
York and elsewhere. ~.-